Solve Missing Return Statement Error in Java

There are many types of errors that can be encountered while writing a Java Program. The errors can be with the Syntax or the Semantics of the Java program. The Java Community tries hard to avoid these errors at compile time itself, so that a programmer does not have to run the program to encounter the error. Use of generics is one way by which Java provides Type Safety by throwing errors at compile time itself.

Solve Missing Return Statement Error in Java

One of those compile errors is the Missing return statement Error. This error can be caused by, as the error name suggests, when the return statement is missing from the program.

Missing return statement error can be thrown due to the following possible reasons:

Reason 1:

A method does not have a return statement, while the declaration requires one.

public String returnTest() {
	System.out.println("Return Test");
}

The declaration states that the method returnTest() returns a String value, but because in the declaration no return statement is provided, the compiler throws the Missing return Statement Error.

How to Solve?

This Error can be resolved by providing a return statement if the code requires one.

public String returnTest() {
	System.out.println("Return Test");
	String ans = "Test returned";
	return ans;
}

Or, declaring the return value of the function as void.

public void returnTest() {
	System.out.println("Return Test");
}

Reason 2:

One of the paths of the program execution does not return a value.

When we write a return statement inside a for/while/if statement, and one of the path of the program execution does not return a value, we get the Missing return statement value.

public String returnTest(Boolean printOrNot) {
	System.out.println("Return Test");
	String ans = "Test returned";
	
	if (printOrNot)
		return ans;
}

This program would return the ans only if the printOrNot value is true.

This would return a Missing return statement Error.

How to Solve?

To correct this error, as a rule of thumb always return a default statement before the end of the last curly bracket for the method declaration.

public String returnTest(Boolean printOrNot) {
	System.out.println("Return Test");
	String ans = "Test returned";
	
	if (printOrNot)
		return ans;
	
	return "";
}

Now I hope you got idea how to solve this error. Comment down below if you still have any queries.